National Jurist - September 2007 - (Page 17)

Whale saver A Hawaii grad finds excitement in environmental law and helping people make a difference. PHOTO BY RAE HUO W hen Koalani Kaulukukui was hired in her current position as associate attorney at Earthjustice, she knew she’d beaten long odds. It had been about six years since the last opening at the non-profit public interest law firm’s Honolulu office. And this 2006 University of Hawaii School of Law grad is taking her position very seriously — she recently By Ursula Furi-Perry filed suit against the Navy for its continued use of sonar, which some reports indicate is killing whales along the Hawaiian coastline. “They’ve really thrown me right in there from the very first day,” said Kaulukukui, who drafts legal documents, conducts case investigations, reviews appropriate federal and state reports, and represents the firm at community meetings. Before she even graduated from law school, Kaulukukui held an externship at EarthJustice, majored in environmental studies as an undergrad and studied environmental law in law school, held a Congressional internship, and worked with several government organizations, including the Environmental Protection Agency and the National Park Service. “Generally, I had a lot of experiences in the environmental field,” said Kaulukukui, who believes those experiences ultimately helped her land the job. Working on environmental policy issues at the Office of Hawaiian Affairs right out of law school, Kaulukukui got a call from EarthJustice regarding the opening, encouraging her to apply for the position. “I’ve always been interested in environmental issues,” she said. “I realized that in order to make a difference, I’d need to make the laws work [or else] change them.” Kaulukukui, who grew up in Hawaii, said she enjoys nature and finds it an inspiration for doing her job well. She went on a popular hike for whale watching the weekend before filing the Navy sonar suit. She also relishes her past involvement in getting a military landfill cleaned up just Though saving whales and trees doesn’t pay much, Hawaii native Koalani Kaulukukui says nature is what inspires her to do her job well. 100 feet from the shoreline, in an area where her father grew up, and finds it rewarding to “read an environmental story that shocks or upsets me, and then be able to do something about it.” As for the job’s greatest challenges, “Unfortunately, the whales and the trees don’t pay much,” Kaulukukui joked. Plus, she admits she’s had to grow a thick skin, particularly when dealing with opposing counsel and others who aren’t so sympathetic to her cause. “When the other side doesn’t have a strong case, they’ll resort to personal attacks or outright lies,” Kaulukukui said. She once had to endure having opposing counsel question her age and ability. Because environmental communities are small, Kaulukukui said name recognition and networking are extremely important in the field. Her diverse environmental experiences have not only made Kaulukukui a prime candidate for the position, but also September 2007 THE NATIONAL JURIST 17 provided her with invaluable work relationships. She said she still calls on people at her former organizations with questions on environmental issues. Kaulukuki encourages law students interested in environmental law to get as much experience and name recognition as possible through internships, externships, or employment through environmental law firms and government agencies. “Get your name out there,” she said, pointing out that many agencies are in desperate need of help from students. Guiding concerned citizens who want to get involved in environmental law but are unsure where to begin is Kaulukukui’s favorite and most rewarding part of the job. “There are so many people out there who want to make a difference and don’t always know how to go about doing it,” Kaulukukui said. “One woman told me that I had recharged her batteries.”

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of National Jurist - September 2007

National Jurist - September 2007 Contents Free Speech Disturbing the Peace For the Record Judge Approves $49 million BAR/BRI Settlement Law School Causes Emotional Stress, Study Finds New Textbook Breaks the Mold Southern Illinois Settles Lawsuit with Christian Legal Society Ave Maria Law Professors Protest School’s Move The Firm Report Student Hoax Shuts Down Hastings Law NCCU Grad Expands Her Program for Troubled Kids Hawaii Grad Finds Excitement in Saving Whales Diversity Hampering Whittier Accreditation? The Paper Chase Chronicles The Supreme Court: An Insider’s View Detroit Mercy’s Innovative Changes Pay Off Career Hotline The J.D. Files

National Jurist - September 2007

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